Government to Introduce ‘Dig Once’ Policy to Cut Fibre Deployment Costs by 60%
Government is set to introduce a new “Dig Once” policy aimed at reducing the cost of fibre optic infrastructure deployment in the country by nearly 60 percent, Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has disclosed.
According to the Minister, the policy forms part of government’s broader digital transformation agenda and is expected to significantly accelerate broadband expansion across the country.
Speaking at the 15th anniversary launch of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications in Accra, Mr George explained that the policy will require all new road projects to incorporate fibre chambers into their designs to eliminate the need for telecom operators to undertake costly excavations when deploying fibre infrastructure.
“The Dig Once policy is a policy that would remarkably, in some estimates, by almost 60% drop the cost of rolling out fiber in our country,” he stated.
Explaining further, the Minister noted that telecom operators will only need to acquire right of way permits and lay fibre through already constructed chambers embedded within newly developed roads.
“All new roads must have a fiber chamber as part of the design, so that anybody who wants to roll out fiber needs not bear the cost of digging, but simply buy right of way and then lay your fiber in that chamber,” he added.
Mr George revealed that the draft policy has completed consultations with the Ministry of Works and Housing and is now awaiting Cabinet approval.
“I’m glad to announce that the ministry finished our draft. We had to refer it to the Ministry of Works because that affects them considerably. They have made their inputs, and just yesterday, I received the final draft, which I’ll be presenting to Cabinet for approval,” he said.
The Communications Minister expressed confidence that Cabinet approval could be secured by the third quarter of the year, describing the policy as a transformative step for Ghana’s fibre infrastructure rollout.
“I’m hopeful that in Q3 this year, Cabinet will give approval for the Dig Once policy, and that is going to be transformative for our fiber rollout as a country,” he remarked.
The announcement also formed part of government’s wider digitalisation drive which includes plans to expand 5G network coverage to 70 percent of Ghana’s population by Ghana’s 70th Independence anniversary in 2027.
